Wednesday, November 15, 2006

FOIA Documents Reveal 478 IRS Laptops Lost or Stolen

The Internal Revenue Service is the latest federal agency to acknowledge a security breach involving missing laptop computers. The breach once again puts Americans at risk of identity theft.

According to documents obtained by WTOP through the Freedom of Information Act, between 2002 and 2006 year-to-date, the agency charged with collecting taxes and protecting taxpayers' personal information had 478 laptops either lost or stolen.

Of those missing computers, 112 contained sensitive data including the Personal Identifiable Information, such as Social Security numbers, for some U.S. taxpayers.

The IRS was unable to disclose how many people could be at risk of identity theft, but said they are working to make that determination.